Henckel Knives

[Dutch]

Hey 3P's,

Having been a butcher/meatcutter all my knives were Forschners and we bought them at the local resturant/butcher supply.

Thing to remember-
1-full tang-easier to tell if you have wooden handles vs. the fibrox/plastic handles where the tang is fully enclosed.

2- fit of the handle to the tang- with wood or plastic scales (sides) they should fit flush with the tang. No groves-no ridges.

3- the balance of the knife in your hand should be paramount. Balance enhances the knife's fit in your hand. The weight should be equally divided between the front and the back of the knife. A knife that isn't balanced and doesn't fit your hand well will tire you out really fast.

 

[glued2it]

I made the mistake of buying the ronco knives once. henkles are the way to go.

Sometimes you get what you pay for.

 

[packplantpath]

LOL, we actually were given the "miracle blade perfection series" as a wedding gift. They truly suck. all we have left are the scissors.

 

[invader q]

Being a hobby blacksmith that makes knives from time to time, I've got some insight on what makes a good knife. The kind of steel, the way it was formed, and the heat treating all influence the quality of the finished piece. For example, a perfectly tempered simple carbon steel knife will out perform a badly heat treated exotic alloy, but a high end knife steel, forged by a master smith, or created by a high end high tech process, that is perfectly heat treated for the steel and the application, will create the best knife.

The best knives are expensive, and deserve the high price tags. That said, there are several mid priced knives, that while not the best, are really darn good for the price.

I've got Forschner and Cutco at home, and have used the high end Henkels as well. Bang for the buck, it's hard to beat the Forschner stuff.

 

[richtee]

I mentioned a while back I have an Old Hickory carbon chef... I LOVE that thing. Must be sharpend often but I can't get that edge on my Henckels esaily, if ever. Frickin' shave with it!

 

[mavadakin]

Knives Are A Tool If You Know How To Keep Them Sharp In This Case ..ya Can Buy A El Cheapo..as Long As You Know How To Keep The Edge. Of Course Ya May Need To Sharpen More Often But My $6 Chef Knife Works Wonders I Also Have A 12 Inch Chef Knife..a Freeby From Sisco...guess Ya Can Pay Alot For A Knife ..but Better Save And Learn How To Keep Them Sharp.. Works For Me

 

[kueh]

First of all, decide on what knives you need and focus on those. I agree with what was on America's Test Kitchen (ATK) that you should buy only the knives you use. Knife sets are generally a waste of money. (I include time and space as money).

If you ever go to a traditional Chinese home, they only use a few different knives: the Chinese cleaver, in various weights, and a smaller knife, like a a paring knife. Most kitchen tasks can be performed by just the cleaver, if you've every watched Yan Can Cook.

I've learned a rather expensive lesson too late. I've collected knives over the years and almost all sit in various containers around the house. I currently use this knife, http://www.amazon.com/Komachi-Stainl...5S9BG4N1RJW89P

It's comfortable for my height and hand size. I use it for most tasks. If I need more muscle, I use my mom's old Chinese cleaver (carbon steel).

Oh, NEVER EVER wash your knives in a dish washer. I've purchase several Sabatier knives with the handles cracked and broken, because that (my guess). Plastic and steel have different expansion and contraction rates. It will ruin wooden handles too.

 

[kueh]

Forschner knives are made by Victorionox. I work in a pork processing plant and they are what we use. We do have some longer Swibo butcher's knives which are made by Wenger. Wenger and Victorionox are the two government authorized manufacturers of Swiss Army Kinves (SAK).

The "wonderful" management keep trying to save money by using other brands, but end up staying with the Swibo and Forschner knives.

 

[davenh]

Figure out what knives you like and check out ebay for new sets. I got my 4 star henckels set and added things like 10" carving and chefs knives, meat fork, cleaver and Santuko. Prices can be less than half of what shops are charging, some cases 1/3. Lots of folks buy a set then sell off the ones they don't need to recover some money.

I love my Henckels 4 stars. They only need a light sharpening from time to time. Never leave good knives in the sink, hand wash only and store right away will keep them in good shape. Mine are 8yrs old and look like new, so the top quality Henckels will last if taken care of.

 

[kueh]

Watch this video and tel me how many knives do you need.

http://video.google.ca/videoplay?doc...37986590820979

 

[smok'n steve]

Brings back memories, when my babies were 10 months old, 12 years ago, I used to watch Yan Can Cook, I picked up a lot of his knife skills for chopping, but not until I lobbed off a piece of my finger! I wonder how many other fingers fell after trying to be like that guy????